Obituaries by LocationArthur Robert Coleman
July 16, 1916 - February 10, 2006
Arthur Robert Coleman, age 89 of Jarrett Avenue, Butler, Pennsylvania, died Thursday, February 10, 2006 at his residence.
Born July 16, 1916 in East Brady, Pennsylvania he was the son of the late William Coleman and the late Bertha Erb Coleman.
Mr. Coleman had been employed as an auditor for Borg Warner Corp. he then became the comptroller for the Morgan Management Company, following this he became the comptroller of McGowan Corporation in Slippery Rock and retired in 1976. He was a member of North Main Street Church of God. He was a graduate of East Brady High School and received a degree in accounting from Franklin Business College. He was a member of William H. Miller Lodge # 769 F. & A.M. and The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of New Castle. Mr. Coleman's greatest achievement was aiding the elderly He worked for over a decade from the very early fund raising efforts and development through the purchase of the building, to the development of meals on wheels and the office of the agency for the aging. He aided in the details of developing bus service from different areas of the county to Tanglewood and many other aspects that contributed to the final development of what is now known as Tangelwood Senior Center, which bears his name as Coleman Hall.
Mr. Coleman is survived by his second wife, Catherine (Kay) E. Tiedt Coleman whom he marriage
on November 16, 1983, one son, Arthur C. Coleman of Naples, Florida; three grandsons, Arthur Ryan Coleman of San Francisco, California, Frank P. Coleman of Birch Run, Michigan, Daniel A. Coleman of Frankenmuth, Michigan; one niece, one step-son, Terry Chenot, and one step-granddaughter, Cherie R. Rose.
Mr. Coleman was preceded in death by his first wife, Avanell B. Crawford Coleman whom he marriage on April 2, 1938 and who passed away on July 4, 1983, by one brother, Raymond Coleman and one sister Shirley Coleman.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Sunday, February 12, 2006 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held at the Thompson - Miller Funeral Home, Inc. on Monday, February 13, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Kenneth Hall of North Main Street Church Of God officiating. Interment will follow in Hemphill Cemetery, Chicora Pennsylvania.
Contributions may be made to The Coleman Hall Fund, Tangelwood Senior Center, Butler, Pennsylvania 16001.
Officers and members of The William H. Miller Lodge # 769 F. & A.M. will assemble at the funeral home to conduct a Masonic service at 7:00 p.m. Sunday.
Herbert C. Schmeider
April 22, 1921 - February 8, 2006
Herbert C. Schmeider, Sr., age 84 of Miller Street, Butler, Pennsylvania, died Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 12:59 A.M. in U.P.M.C. Presbyterian, Pittsburgh.
Born April 22, 1921 in Furance Run, Pennsylvania he was the son of the late Charles V. Schmeider and the late Helen Myers.
Mr. Schmeider worked for Armco Steel, retiring in 1983. He was a member of St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He was active with numerous bowling leagues, coached Butler Youth Baseball for 15 years and a member of the VFW #249. Mr. Schmeider obtained numerous bowling awards for senior local and state tournaments. He was also interested in the Butler Senior High Sports programs. He served in the army during WW II in Germany. He was wounded and given the Purple Heart.
Mr. Schmeider, Sr. is survived by his wife, Agnes G. Kradel Schmeider whom he marriage on October 19, 1946, three sons, Herbert C. Schmeider, Jr. of Butler, Pennsylvania, Jerry L. Schmeider of Fairfax Station, Virginia, Richard E. Schmeider of Leesburg, Virginia; eight grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and three nephews.
Mr. Schmeider, Sr. was preceded in death by one brother and one sister.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Friday, February 10, 2006 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held at the Thompson - Miller Funeral Home, Inc. on Saturday, February 11, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Robert W. Strobel of St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church officiating. Interment will follow in Butler County Memorial Park.
Butler Baseball Booster Club, c/o Butler Tornado Baseball Diamond Club, Post Office Box 145, Butler, Pennsylvania 16003-0401.
Kenneth W. Kradel
December 29, 1926 - February 1, 2006
Kenneth W. Kradel, age 79 of Kensington Court, Renfrew, Pennsylvania, died Wednesday, February 1, 2006 at 1:55 p.m. in the Butler V A Medical Center.
Born December 29, 1926 in Butler County, Pennsylvania he was the son of the late Elmer Kradel and the late Wiletta Fretz.
Mr. Kradel was an owner/operator for Kradel's Greenhouse and he previously worked at Armco Steel. He was a member of Meridian United Presbyterian Church. He was an alumni of Butler High School and Grove City College. Mr. Kradel was a veteran of the Korean War serving with the U.S. Army. He was a member of the Men's Club of his church, the Meridian Vets Club, MORA Club. He enjoyed traveling and gardening.
Mr. Kradel is survived by his wife, Ethel C. Sloan Kradel whom he marriage on January 28, 1958, one daughter, Mrs. Donald (Alice) Warnick of Butler, Pennsylvania; one son, Thomas and Patty Ziminski of Swanton, Ohio; three grandchildren, Marcia Goehring, Michelle Jurysta and Dennis Warnick, two great-grandchildren, Matthew Goehring and Hallie Jurysta, two brothers, William Kradel, and Richard Kradel; three sisters, Mrs. Dolores Marshall, Eleanor Kradel, and Mrs. Margie Cihonski all of Butler, Pennsylvania and by a number of nieces and nephews.
Mr. Kradel was preceded in death by one son, Ronald Kradel.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Friday, February 3, 2006 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held at the Meridian United Presbyterian Church on Saturday, February 4, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Stephen N. Cahoon of Meridian United Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment will follow in Butler County Memorial Park.
Roberta Drake Ruff
September 22, 1915 - March 30, 2006
Roberta Drake Ruff, age 90, homemaker, volunteer and philanthropist, died in her home on Belmont Road on March 30, attended by friends and her family.
Born in Grove City, Pa., on September 22, 1915, she was the beloved daughter of Clark G. Drake and Mildred McBride Drake. She attended Grove City High School and graduated from Grove City College in 1936. Before settling in Butler in 1951, she lived in several other places, including Elyria, Ohio, where she worked at the YWCA before she was marriage; Mississippi during the war years; and Rochester, Minnesota, a place she always cherished and where she had many lifelong friends.
Once settled in Butler, Roberta was a gracious homemaker and active mother to five children, all the while giving generously to her community. She was a longtime member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, where she served terms as deacon and elder. She was deeply committed to the Butler County Symphony Association, serving on the board of directors beginning in 1954, including a term as President from 1979-1981. When the symphony was in financial difficulties, she had the idea to establish and operate the Half-Note Shop in Butler, a resale shop for the benefit of the symphony and a rich source of friendships for the volunteers who worked there.
Roberta was also a driver for more than 25 years for Meals on Wheels and was proud that she and her driving partner, longtime friend Mary Elizabeth Goehring, never got stuck in the snow. Roberta’s passion for books and literature led her to volunteer with the Butler Public Library and serve as a board member for Lending Hands, an association supporting the library at the Butler County Community College.
Her interests over the years were many and varied. In earlier years, she was an active member of the Women’s Auxiliary of Butler Memorial Hospital, Literary Club and AAUW. One of her last enthusiasms was the ALTER Project at the Macoskey House on the Slippery Rock State University campus, where she was an early supporter of its work in alternative technologies. A constant commitment was her 50-year membership in the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Roberta was a generous and often anonymous supporter to many other causes.
Roberta is survived by her five children: John and his wife, Holly, of Westerlo, N.Y.; Milann Ruff Daugherty and her husband, Bill, of New Castle, Pa., James and his wife, Adair, of Philadelphia, Pa.; Ken and his wife, Lois, of Bryant Pond, Me., and Marcia Ruff and her husband, Tom Wilkinson, of Pleasant Ridge, Mich.
Roberta also leaves behind six grandchildren: Gordon Daugherty of Mentor, Ohio; Megan Daugherty Ball of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; Kristen Ruff of New York City, Rebecca Ruff of Philadelphia; Chris Wilkinson of Elgin, Tex.; and Emi Wilkinson of Pleasant Ridge, Mich.; two nephews: Douglas Drake of Bellingham, Wash., and Dana Drake of Pittsford, N.Y.; one niece: Jennifer Drake of Eugene, Ore.; and a sister-in-law: Leaf Drake, of Pittsford, N.Y.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Clark G. and Donn P. Drake, and is survived by her former husband, Curtis C. Ruff, M.D.
Roberta was a poet as well. She wrote many poems about Deer Isle, Maine, where for more than 40 years she summered joyfully with her family, watching the ocean with deep pleasure, baking perfect blueberry pies and enjoying island friendships. We remember her with lines from one of these poems:
The pattern of the sand bar has been altered by our passage today.
With our backs to the island, and our eyes to the leader,
We look for the opening to the path through the woods.
Friends and family of Roberta Drake Ruff will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, 124 E. North St., Butler, on Monday, April 3 from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. A memorial service will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 230 E. Jefferson St., Butler, on Tuesday, April 4 at 11 a.m. with The Reverend Dr. James E. Swanson officiating. It will be followed by a luncheon, to which the family invites all attendees. The interment at Crestview Memorial Park, Grove City, will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Butler County Symphony Association, Meals on Wheels or the P.E.O. Sisterhood.
Barbara J. Oswald
July 20, 1930 - March 30, 2006
Barbara J. Oswald, age 75 of East McQuistion Road, Butler, Pennsylvania, died Thursday, March 30, 2006 at 5:01 a.m. in the Butler Memorial Hospital.
Born July 20, 1930 in Butler, Pennsylvania she was the daughter of the late Max Polliard and the late Grace E. Bartlett.
Mrs. Oswald was a retired field director for American Heart Association, Butler, Pennsylvania. She was a member of First United Methodist Church. She was an active member of the General Richard Butler Chapter of the DAR. Also she was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and the AARP.
Mrs. Oswald is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Edward (Dianna J.) Sroka of Butler, Pennsylvania; two grandsons, two sisters, Mrs. Leslie Peters and Mrs. Leanna Porter both of East Butler, Pennsylvania; one brother, Gilbert Polliard of Prospect, Pennsylvania and also by a number of nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Oswald was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Joseph F. Oswald who passed away on May 4, 2004 and also by one daughter.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Friday, March 31, 2006 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held at the Thompson - Miller Funeral Home, Inc. on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend J. David Panther of First United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will follow in Chapel of Devotion, Butler County Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to Memorial Fund, First United Methodist Church, 200 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania 16001.
